


She's Just Not That Into You

by Rysler



Category: Wicked - All Media Types, Wicked - Schwartz/Holzman
Genre: College Roommates But Not AU, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Musicalverse, any excuse for sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-09
Updated: 2017-10-09
Packaged: 2019-01-15 07:56:24
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,847
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12316953
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rysler/pseuds/Rysler
Summary: He'd made the wrong choice. As soon as Galinda danced with her, in front of everyone, he saw it. Everyone was open to stare and fawn over Elphaba--exactly what they'd been doing in veiled spying on her in class, their faces pinched with envy whenever the professors courted her. For the first time in four schools, he'd chosen the wrong girl.





	She's Just Not That Into You

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written in 2008.

Fiyero noticed her before anything else, a blur of green across his vision. He turned to watch her go, and was so enthralled he didn't notice who'd noticed  _him_ , until the blonde with the big teeth was asking him if he needed her help. She twirled her hair.   
  
He focused briefly on the blonde, and then surveyed the quad. She'd been the only one brave enough to come up, but others were looking. He asked, "Who's that girl?"  
  
She looked around, puzzled. "Who?"  
  
"The green one."  
  
"Oh. Pay her no mind. She's no one."  
  
Fiyero asked, "Does she know she's green?"  
  
"Of course she does. Now, I'm--"  
  
"Is she sick?" Fiyero asked. She hadn't seemed sick. She'd seemed foreboding.  
  
"No, she's not sick. If you must know, she's my roommate, and she's a terror."  
  
That finally got his attention. He smiled down at the girl. She smiled back. And that was that. Find the wildest, most eye-catching girl in school, and not have to worry about anything else. She would take care of his social engagements and she would know how to dance. And she would introduce him to the right men, too. Already she was keeping him away from the Munchkin.   
  
He'd made the right choice.   
  
* * *   
  
He'd made the wrong choice.   
  
As soon as Galinda danced with her, in front of everyone, he saw it. Everyone was open to stare and fawn over Elphaba--exactly what they'd been doing in veiled spying on her in class, their faces pinched with envy whenever the professors courted her. For the first time in four schools, he'd chosen the wrong girl.   
  
Galinda pressed his hand into Elphaba's, and he smiled brightly at Elphaba, ready to follow Galinda's guidance right into getting exactly what he wanted.  
  
"Be kind to her," Galinda whispered, as he asked Elphaba to dance. Out of kindness, of course.  
  
Elphaba was awkward in his arms, bony where his hands touched her, but not shy. She looked at him straight on, and deigned to make small talk about the lighting and the music.   
  
He realized that she'd kept up with his waltzing without stepping on his toes once, and he asked where she learned to dance.  
  
"I'm the Governor's daughter," she said.  
  
"Governor?"  
  
"Of Munchkinland."  
  
"Oh." He thought that over, and asked, "What about Galinda?"  
  
"She's the first in her town to attend Shiz University. All the way from the Upper Uplands."  
  
"She's the first?"  
  
A shadow fell across Elphaba's face and she shook her head, and changed the subject, saying, "Not that we had balls. But my sister couldn't dance, so she'd make me in her stead, dancing around the room. She had a riding crop, and would whip my knees if I faltered. It was all very childish."  
  
He nodded. Nessarose had left the party, and the Munchkin boy--that explained the courtship--Boq was enough polish and wealth to win anyone, he'd learned from the boys.  
  
Elphaba laughed, drawing his attention back to her face, the deep eyes and the fine bones, as she said, "The irony was that everyone loved Nessa. They'd kneel beside her and stroke her hair and hold her hands. Dancing fell quite out of fashion. No one asked me."  
  
He twirled her and said, "I'm asking."  
  
"Because Galinda told you to."   
  
"Yes. That's how it works, until she tells me otherwise." He smiled.  
  
To his wonder, Elphaba smiled back.  
  
* * *   
  
During the day, Galinda was quite content with her new prize. Elphaba put up with quite a bit, really, in the dining hall and in the courtyard, and her dry wit, Galinda decided, was funnier than anything the other girls could come up with. Fiyero was appropriately nice to Elphaba, bringing her fruit and nuts and asking her about science and things. Galinda was perfectly satisfied.   
  
But at night, Elphaba would retreat to her desk, reading by candlelight, and really, the room stayed terribly drab. Galinda insisted on giving Elphaba one of her family comforters, and for a while was pleased to see Elphaba draw the peach-colored patchwork to her bony chin. Elphaba would sleep and Galinda would admire the contrast of colors.   
  
After time, restless, she would arrange Elphaba's hair on the pillow, stroking her fingers through the long, dark locks. If she hit a tangle, she'd wake Elphaba, and explain calmly what she was doing. Elphaba would roll her eyes, but in the morning consent to Galinda brushing her hair. And for a while, that was fine; stroking Elphaba's hair, touching her shoulders, and holding her hand walking to class.  
  
And then came the nightmare. Dreadful, honestly, all about Fiyero meeting her parents. She woke up in a cold sweat, apparently whimpering, because Elphaba was calling softly from the other bed, "Galinda?"  
  
"Elphie?"  
  
Then Elphaba was at her side, kneeling next to the bed. Her hand touched Galinda's cheek and was cold, like ice, taking away the flush of fear. Galinda said, "I had a bad dream."  
  
Elphaba touched her forehead. Galinda closed her eyes. Elphaba's fingers brushed her temple, and then her eyebrows.  
  
"I'm afraid," Galinda said.  
  
"I am here between you and everything--else," Elphaba said, looking around, as if she meant it literally.   
  
"Then don't go," Galinda said. She opened her eyes. Elphaba squinted at her. "Please?" Galinda asked.  
  
If she hadn't had such a dream, she never would have asked Elphaba for anything, but she was used to getting what she asked for and Elphaba was used to giving it, so Elphaba sat on the edge of the bed and stroked her face and her shoulder until she fell back asleep.  
  
Galinda faked nightmares after that until it became embarrassing, and then suggested it would be easier to thwart them if she just started under Elphaba's protection in the first place. With Elphaba's arms around her and the peach comforter around them both, Galinda had her days and nights utterly situated to her satisfaction.   
  
* * *  
  
Galinda sat on a blanket, with the picnic basket next to her. Elphaba and Nessarose, Munchkinland heathens, sprawled in the grass, barefoot, with the dirt between their toes. Galinda couldn't believe such commoners were the daughters of a governor, and had ignored all of Elphaba's attempts to explain cultural relativism.  
  
Fiyero and Boq played with other boys and some sort of ball. Nessarose had been the one to shyly, enthusiastically, explain the rules of the game to her.  
  
Thropps. They were far too keen on everything.  
  
"I only got 70 percent of my essay right, according to Dillamoth," Galinda said, slurring his name in retribution for the way he slurred hers.  
  
"That's an improvement," Elphaba said. She reached for the berries. "Why do you look so sad?"  
  
Nessarose rolled her eyes. She said, "I'm going to roll down the hill." Then she called out to Boq, "Catch me!" and took off in a flurry of grass blades and laughter.  
  
"I think...I am really quite shallow. I don't care about history. I don't. But you do and I look at you and I--I feel bad."  
  
Elphaba ate a berry, and frowned at Galinda. She said, "Galinda, stop dwelling on history class and look around."  
  
Galinda looked around, and then back at Elphaba.  
  
Elphaba said, "When I got here, I was an outcast, Nessarose was invisible, Fiyero was a cad, and Boq was just embarrassing. You brought us together. You found all the best qualities in us--and you may have used them to your advantage, but you found them all the same."  
  
"I did that?"  
  
"You're a generous person, Galinda. And rather clever, I think."  
  
"I am," Galinda said. She reached over and took Elphaba's hand.  
  
Elphaba smiled and turned to watch her sister roll down the hill.   
  
* * *   
  
Fiyero slid onto the bench next to Elphaba and grinned. She grinned back, and when he stared without moving, she smacked his leg. He laughed. It was easier to be with her without Galinda. He was more charming. Never had that mattered to him before, to be outshined by his girlfriend. But he wanted Elphaba to see him, not Galinda.   
  
Dillamond pontificated as usual. When Elphaba raised her hand, Fiyero admired the graceful arc of her neck from her upraised chin to her chest. The way her fingers fluttered in the air--Galinda hadn't taught her that, it was the royalty speaking--how to be weightless, how to be above everyone else.  
  
"Fiyero," Elphaba hissed.  
  
He started, widening his eyes.  
  
"Just say, 'Because of water,'" she said.  
  
"Because of water," Fiyero said. Dillamond tilted his head forward, so that his horns were slightly more menacing. Fiyero spoke up. "Because of water. It's always that."  
  
"Precisely," Dillamond said.  
  
"What was I answering?" Fiyero asked.  
  
Elphaba pointed to her paper, which listed the Arolin Wars.  
  
Fiyero said, "I knew that. It's always water. My grandfather managed to organize our tribes long enough to build an irrigation system that benefited three different territories--he made his smallest of all--and after that no one would dare go against him, because he'd been the one to bring peace and prosperity. Of course, my father--"  
  
"If you knew that," Elphaba interrupted, "Why didn't you say when Dillamond called on you?"  
  
"I was thinking."  
  
"Thinking?"  
  
Fiyero felt his face go crimson. He rubbed his cheek and said, "I was thinking about girls--a girl."  
  
Elphaba threw her quill onto the bench and snorted.  
  
* * *   
  
Elphaba had changed into her nightgown and was carefully picking at the knot that bound her long braid. Galinda watched impatiently, and as Elphaba finally began to unravel the strands, one loop at a time, could stand it no more and went to sit on the edge of Elphaba's bed. "Let me."  
  
"I am capable of--"  
  
Galinda swatted her hands away, and said, "I know far more about hair than you do."  
  
"Even my hair?"  
  
"Especially your hair."  
  
Elphaba obligingly put her hands in her lap.   
  
Galinda pressed against Elphaba's back, leveraging to attack the braid, wisped and tangled by a day's journey. Elphaba squirmed and complained, but for the most part she stayed still and let Galinda settle against her warmth and pull her hair, and Galinda was glad that Elphaba didn't mind being touched.   
  
Shenshen and Pfanee would have a fit if she stayed near them this long. They would let the boys put their hands wherever they liked, but it wasn't like when Galinda was younger, when she and the girls would--Galinda paused.  
  
"What is it?" Elphaba asked.  
  
Galinda petted Elphaba's hair, smoothing out the strands. She said, "Nothing. I just had a realization."  
  
"I cannot even imagine," Elphaba said.  
  
Galinda tugged her hair.   
  
"Ow," Elphaba said.  
  
Galinda slid off the bed and blew out the candle. She said, "Let's go to bed and I'll tell you."  
  
Elphaba opened her mouth, and then closed it, giving Galinda one-armed shrug. She pulled back the bedcovers and slid underneath, pulling her hair around her shoulders so that it would lie on the pillow and not pull. Galinda's was wrapped up, scented with gel, the usual way, though this time as she slid into bed next to Elphaba she regretted that it could not spill over the pillow, that Elphaba could not run her hands through it.  
  
"Elphaba, why don't you have a boyfriend?" Galinda asked.  
  
"It is questions like those that made me glad I grew up practically in a convent," Elphaba said.  
  
"Did Nessarose mind?"  
  
"Yes. She pounced on every son of every traveling dignitary and made me introduce her to all the town boys I tried to go hunting with."  
  
"But you didn't mind. Not--flirting."  
  
"Of course not."  
  
"That was my revelation," Galinda said.  
  
"About me?"  
  
"About me," Galinda said.  
  
Elphaba raised her eyebrows.  
  
Galinda touched Elphaba's cheek. Elphaba didn't move. Galinda considered, and then leaned close enough for her lips to touch Elphaba's. She stayed there, holding her breath, and Elphaba still didn't move. Galinda made it a real kiss, sealing her lips to Elphaba's and pressing. Elphaba's lips parted, whether of her own accord or Galinda's pressure Galinda couldn't tell, but Elphaba's breath hotly crossed her lips, and Galinda made a sound, a completely involuntary sound that she would have begged the Unnamed God to take back from her if she had made it in front of anyone but Elphaba, but Elphaba paid the whimper no heed. Galinda broke the kiss.   
  
"That was my revelation," Galinda whispered.  
  
"You have finally learned to kiss," Elphaba said.  
  
Galinda smiled and kissed Elphaba again, keeping her hand on Elphaba's cheek and offering sweet, shallow kisses. Elphaba's lips were damp with them, and her breath was hot whenever Galinda chose to capture it. Her hand slid to Elphaba's neck and found her pulse, rapid and feathery, and that's how Galinda knew, through Elphaba's stillness, that Elphaba was kissing her back.  
  
She had kissed a thousand--a dozen, Galinda corrected herself--four boys. Fiyero nearly every day for three weeks, and the kisses had always felt--fine. Neither exciting nor repulsive, often warm, an unfearful comingling of mouths that was rather expected, and she had no reason for avoiding.   
  
Kissing Elphaba made Galinda's entire body feel hot, all at once, like she had been thrown into a fire, only it didn't hurt, not at all, not at first. Then there started an ache, following the fire, in her chest and in her head and between her legs, one she hadn't known would come with kissing Elphaba, or she would have done it much sooner.   
  
"Elphie?" Galinda asked, when she had regained control of her senses and could study Elphaba's furrowed brow on the other side of the pillow.  
  
"Yes?" Elphaba sounded hoarse; Galinda took satisfaction in that.  
  
"Did you--feel that?"  
  
Elphaba cleared her throat. "Yes," she said.  
  
Galinda smacked her shoulder.  
  
"Ow."  
  
"You should have told me sooner," Galinda said.  
  
"And be scolded?"  
  
Galinda snuggled into the pillow. Elphaba sighed and closed her eyes.   
  
When Galinda woke, sunlight was coming through the window, and Elphaba was looking green again instead of dark. Galinda huffed and hemmed until Elphaba opened one eye. Galinda sat up. "Elphie," she said.  
  
Elphaba yawned and rolled onto her back.  
  
Galinda leaned over her and kissed her, causing Elphaba to squeak, mid-yawn. She tasted of sleep and her lips were dry and rough, but Galinda didn't mind kissing her like that, and the churning started in her stomach the same as the night before. She sat back.  
  
"Well, that's settled," Galinda said.  
  
Elphaba propped herself up on her elbows. She asked, "And where do we go from here?"  
  
Galinda had no idea.  
  
* * *   
  
Let's have a picnic," Galinda said, taking Fiyero's arm as soon as he'd stepped outside his classroom.  
  
"Now?"  
  
"Around four."  
  
"Everyone?" he asked.  
  
"Just us. We haven't been alone in a while," she said. She squeezed his arm. It kind of hurt.  
  
"True," he said. Between chaperones and friends and studies--he'd started studying after befriending Elphaba—he and Galinda were rarely alone; enough for a kiss or a hug, but meals were usually shared in the dining hall and aside from two Shiz balls, dancing was entirely out of the question.  
  
"I'd like to talk to you," Galinda said.  
  
Fiyero's heart sank.  
  
"And maybe more."  
  
Fiyero turned to her with wide eyes but she was already retreating, waving coquettishly and leaving him spinning in the hallway.  
  
* * *  
  
"Fiyero," Galinda asked, not looking at him, but instead at a berry she plucked from its vine, "What do you do when you like a girl?"  
  
"I let her ask me silly questions," he said.  
  
She tossed the berry at him. He laughed and turned his face to the sun. The days were getting longer, though warm days were rare, and this was not one of them. Galinda had eaten sandwiches with mittens on.  
  
He'd brought wine, and had drunk wine, and had let Galinda talk for the better part of an hour. She'd talked mostly of Elphaba, which he didn't mind.  
  
Galinda plucked another berry and crept closer to him, leaning against his shoulder and pressing it to his lips. He accepted it between his teeth and bit down, so that juice ran down his chin.  
  
Other girls would have kissed him; Galinda just rolled her eyes. She put her head on his shoulder, though, and asked, "No, I mean, once you like a girl, and you've kissed her—then?"  
  
"Isn't it obvious?"  
  
"No. No, it is not obvious," she said. She turned away and picked up her glass of wine and drank the rest of it in one grotesque swallow. His Galinda.  
  
They'd perched near a grove of apple trees, just off the quad, and they had not been entirely alone an hour ago, but now the dinner chimes had rung and everyone was inside again, unlikely to emerge again until morning. He frowned and said, "You're cleverer than I thought."  
  
"Fiyero! What a horrid thing to say."  
  
She sounded as if she were going to burst into tears, and Fiyero tried to grasp why. He realized his train of thought had not perhaps been equal to hers. He said, "To get us alone together tonight. Clever in that way."  
  
She wiped at her eyes.  
  
He turned to her and took the berries from her hand--no use in having her armed—and kissed her cheek.  
  
"So that you could show me."  
  
"Yes. I'd be happy to--" he started.  
  
"Have you been with other women?"  
  
"I--Galinda."  
  
"You've been at other schools. I bet you've had a Galinda at every one," she said, and sighed. "I'm not special."  
  
"You are," he said.  
  
"No. Elphaba's special. That's why--I mean, she's green!"  
  
"I've noticed."  
  
"Have you ever been with a green girl?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Or an Animal?"  
  
"Only Vinkus, I swear. And Quadling, though--that was a prostitute. And Gillikinese, she was a pros--a woman of high virtue."  
  
"No Munchkinlanders?"  
  
He swallowed hard.  
  
"What about--"  
  
"What, Galinda?"  
  
He was already impatient and flushed with the desire to scandalize her enough to get her to shut up, but not enough that she would slap him. His sanitized and embellished history was no match, he realized, with her next question.  
  
"With boys?"  
  
"Other--boys?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
She was looking at him steadily, one hand on his shoulder and the other, freed of berries, in his.  
  
He said, "Once or twice. It's not a big deal."  
  
"No?"  
  
"No."  
  
"As you may have surmised, Fiyero, I have not been with anyone. My parents wished me to remain a virgin in order to make the best match. An educated virgin."  
  
He leaned back, and said, "I would never--"  
  
"But you must!" She pulled on his hand. He winced. She said, "There is something, isn't there? Between the kiss and wedlock? Passion?"  
  
"You're asking me about passion?"  
  
"I'm asking you what to  _do_  with it."  
  
"What feels right, Galinda. And not what feels wrong."  
  
"Fiyero, you're impossible."  
  
He sighed, and asked, "You want a lesson?"  
  
She lunged for the berries. He seized her arm and tugged her back, and closer, kneeling up to take her in his arms. She smiled up at him. He felt a stirring. Galinda was pretty, and smelled of wine and spring, and there was something alluring in the way she was offering herself to him; slightly flushed, shy, but eager. She cupped his face in her hands. He kissed her.  
  
She let him, opening her lips when he pressed with his tongue, not protesting as he entered her mouth, or bit gently into her lower lip, or drew back to kiss the corner where her lips met. She was pliant, though her hands stroked his neck and tangled in his hair. Her lips were damp but she hadn't kissed him back, not really, and her eyes still held their studious expression.  
  
"It's best to kiss for a long time," he said.  
  
"Why?" she asked.  
  
He frowned, and considered, and then said, "Because the fun is in the journey, and not the result."  
  
She let him kiss her again, and again, but finally pushed at his chest and asked, "What's fun? Besides kissing?"  
  
"Galinda."  
  
She pouted.  
  
He panted, and took several deep breaths, trying to slow his heart rate and cool his loins before considering her question.  
  
"The very next step?" he asked.  
  
"Yes. Just--after kissing. You're not going to ravish me, are you?"  
  
"Don't you want to be ravished?"  
  
"I'm not sure," Galinda said.  
  
He knelt on the grass and urged her gently backward so that she was lying on the blanket. She looked up at the sky, pursed her lips, and then dipped her chin to see him as he leaned over her, blocking out the light.  
  
"If you scream, I will probably be expelled," he said.  
  
"Fiyero?" she asked, her face filling with concern.  
  
He kissed her, and with all the weight leaning into his left arm, he hooked one leg over hers. She gasped. He waited for any sign of protest--bracing himself against anything that might be painful, like a knee to the groin or her teeth sinking into his lip, but she was merely waiting.  
  
The self-control it took to move so slowly was almost beyond him. The irony of her being far more willing than other girls to get to this place, and yet, her tactics so clinical, made him feel incredibly self-conscious as he placed his hand on her breast.  
  
She did not gasp at that, nor move, so he pressed down, stroking with the whole of his hand, and when that too elicited no response, found her nipple through her dress and brushed it with his thumb.  
  
She squeaked.  
  
"Yes?" he asked, stilling his fingers.  
  
"Oh," she said.  
  
The six o'clock bell rang.  
  
"I have a salon," she said, not moving. He reluctantly sat up.  
  
She gathered the basket, kissed him wetly on the lips, and said, "You are the best a girl could ever hope for." And then she ran off down the path.  
  
"Uh, thanks," he said. He felt strangely eager for the next lesson.  
  
* * *   
  
Galinda wanted to rush back to Elphaba with her discoveries, but she did have the salon, so she settled into the ladies lounge with Shenshen and Pfanee, who, despite her ill treatment, were always willing to sit beside her. She thought poorly of them for that, and ignored their whispering.   
  
She tried focusing on the speaker, who was from the Emerald City. A month ago, that would have fascinated her, but she had more immediate concerns.   
  
Elphaba.  
  
She squirmed.  
  
"Don't you think this is interesting?" Shenshen whispered.  
  
"She'll be a good contact to have when I go to the Emerald City, but really, her dress is so droll," Galinda answered.  
  
Shenshen nodded knowingly.  
  
"Truth be told, I'm a little bored," Galinda said.  
  
Shenshen and Pfanee tried to look bored as well, rolling their eyes, snickering, yawning. Galinda looked out the window. The science building blocked her view of the orchard where she and Fiyero had sat. There were no stars out due to the cloud cover, so the dusk had a ghastly greenish black pallor that made the science building menacing, illuminated only by the candlelight in a few windows. Late night studiers. The lounge was well-lit and well-appointed, and Galinda had to stay through sandwiches and tea and discussion with the droll woman.   
  
The woman sized up Galinda's pink robe and blonde curls and dismissed her at once, and Galinda, shaking with rage, left swiftly and retired to her room.  
  
Elphaba was there, reading in bed. Galinda shut the door and huffed. Elphaba looked up, blithely acknowledged her, and went back to reading.  
  
When Galinda had stopped seething enough to disrobe without her hands shaking, she changed into a nightgown and sat on the edge of the bed, and asked, "Have you ever wanted to go to the Emerald City?"  
  
"Sure," Elphaba said. She put her book aside. "I've always wanted to meet the Wizard."  
  
"Why?"  
  
Elphaba looked away, and said, "It doesn't matter why."  
  
"Why?" Galinda was not in a proper mood to be dismissed.  
  
"Maybe he could make my sister, well, walk," Elphaba said. She looked back at Galinda.  
  
"Oh, Elphie."  
  
Elphaba sighed. Galinda took her hand. She said, "I've been thinking--" She frowned as Elphaba pursed her lips. "What?"  
  
"Just, last time you were thinking you set the room on fire."  
  
"It was only the dustbin, and I was right, wasn't I?"  
  
"But at what cost?"  
  
"Isn't there always a terrible cost to being right?" Galinda asked.  
  
Elphaba tugged on her hand and asked, "Are you actually paying attention in class?"  
  
"I'm learning through experience."  
  
Elphaba smirked.  
  
Galinda smiled at her, and unsure what to do with their hands, rubbed Elphba's fingers and twisted them, and said, "No, I've been thinking about what to do about us--I mean, what we should do. I've been learning, and studying, and now I want to try something. I think." She didn't meet Elphaba's eyes.  
  
"Am I an experiment?" Elphaba asked.  
  
Galinda looked up. Elphaba's tone had been light, and the amused expression she wore let Galinda relax slightly.   
  
Elphaba cast her free arm out and said, "Experiment away."  
  
Galinda smiled and said, "Don't make light of this."  
  
"Of what?"  
  
"I love you."  
  
"I know," Elphaba said.  
  
"Do you?"  
  
"You say it often enough."  
  
Galinda frowned, and asked, "How often is enough, really?"  
  
"I am only going to say it once," Elphaba said. "That's all that's needed."  
  
Galinda furrowed her brow.  
  
Elphaba lifted their linked hands and kissed Galinda's palm. She said, "Not now."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"I don't want to interrupt your train of thought."  
  
Galinda said, "Precious and thin that it is."  
  
"I am eager to see the results. Really, the fire was the most fun I'd had at Shiz up to that point."  
  
"What if this is not as fun as that?" Galinda asked.  
  
"Well, we'll still have that."  
  
"Reasonable, Ephie."  
  
Elphaba smiled.   
  
Galinda was ashamed, somehow, and hesitant to show Elphaba what she'd been doing, without telling her why, and with whom, but that would have required thinking about Fiyero, and talking about him, far more than she wanted to. She had thought about kissing all day, through class, through meals, through the salon and even while kissing Fiyero, but she had no idea how to start without embarrassing herself.  
  
"It would be better," Galinda said, "If you began this."  
  
"Me?"  
  
"Just tonight."  
  
"But I'm here to be experimented upon."  
  
Galinda shook her head and smiled, and said, "No, you're not."  
  
If Galinda were being cowardly it ceased to matter as Elphaba sat up straighter and put her hands on Galinda's shoulders. "Yes?" Elphaba asked.  
  
"Please. Elphie," Galinda said.  
  
Elphaba kissed her, pressing her lips lightly to Galinda's, while her fingers stroked Galinda's shoulders. Galinda kissed back, but Elphaba turned her, by her shoulders, so that she fell sideways on the bed, and Elphaba next to her. They resumed their kisses, awkward in that position. Elphaba's arm stretched under Galinda's neck, under the pillow. Galinda put her hand on Elphaba's shoulder. They wriggled closer, knees touching.   
  
Galinda swooned. Each of Elphaba's kisses, though only against her lips, warmed her entirely. Her stomach felt light and her toes felt heavy. She didn't know quite what to do quell the nervous, eager fluttering inside of her, so she relied on her lessons. She slid her hand down Elphaba's arm, and then, hesitantly, over her breast.  
  
Elphaba gasped and bit into Galinda's lip. The pain in her mouth and the trembling heat in her hand made Galinda cry out. She yanked her hand away. Elphaba drew back. Galinda met her eyes, and tried to choose between expressing apology and desire.   
  
"Do that again," Elphaba said.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Galinda."  
  
Curling her lips over her teeth protectively, Galinda reached out and placed her hand on Elphaba's breast. Nothing quite so dramatic happened that time, so she squeezed. Elphaba let out a hiss through her teeth. Her face flushed a paler, brighter green.  
  
Galinda pressed flat with her hand. Elphaba's nipple rose against her palm. If this is what Fiyero felt, touching her, no wonder he had looked like he was going to die. Elphaba's forehead was beaded with sweat. Galinda removed her hand and brushed the dampness away. She cupped Elphaba's cheek.  
  
"That's dangerous," Galinda said.  
  
"Extremely."  
  
"We probably shouldn't do that, um--"  
  
"So recklessly," Elphaba offered.  
  
"See. Just like a fire." Galinda drew her hand back, and tucked it under her chin, and smiled at Elphaba. Elphaba rose up to blow out the candle, and then settled into bed, her back to Galinda, unmoving, her breath soundless. Galinda spent the next hour thinking of different ways and scenarios to take back what had happened, to not know what it felt like to caress her friend, to keep from breaking apart.  
  
When the hour had passed, she pressed her face into Elphaba's back, inhaling the scent of her gown and her skin, and sniffled against her tears.   
  
* * *   
  
Fiyero slid into the bench across from Elphaba. The library was quiet, but she didn't look up at the noise he made. She did, however, say, "You're looking--" She then looked up, to study him, as if searching him for the right word. He frowned.  
  
"Bright," she finished.  
  
"I went out with Galinda last night," Fiyero said.  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"It was--She was--weird."  
  
"Weird?"  
  
"She's weird. Haven't you noticed?"  
  
"I thought Galinda was the epitome of all that was normal. She's blonde and she likes dresses and she's reasonably sociable in a way that shows both breeding and a natural ability and--"  
  
Fiyero shook his head. "She is all that, but I don't think she's normal."  
  
"What, then, is normal?"  
  
"Well, you're the most normal girl I've ever met."  
  
Elphaba furrowed her brow.  
  
"Well, sure, you're green. But other than that--You're intelligent and witty and you have fine features and breeding and manners. You're perfectly normal. And--"  
  
She had opened her mouth, but she shut it and bid him continue.  
  
"And isn't it Doctor Dillamond who says we seek out normal in order to propagate the species? It's not merely the strongest, but the most perfect, lacking deficiencies or abnormalities that would prevent success of future generations. I mean, the Animals have a lot more experience with it than we do, but doesn't it hold subconciously?"  
  
Elphaba said, "You're misinterpreting, slightly. Dillamond also said it's the mutations that allow us to cope with unexpected situations."  
  
He frowned.  
  
She said, laying a hand on his arm, "I'm impressed you've thought so hard about it."  
  
He became, though it seemed impossible, even brighter.   
  
* * *   
  
When history class ended, Dillamond asked Elphaba to stay behind. Galinda kissed her goodbye--just on the cheek, but it was still embarrassing. Fiyero, laughing at both of them, had offered Elphaba his hand to shake. And then they went off together, arm in arm.  
  
Elphaba sat on her bench, looking alternately up at him and down at her papers.  
  
"On the last test you missed a question about the Vinkus. That isn't like you, Elphaba." He asked her the question that was on the test, and she answered it readily. He made a notation on the paper.  
  
"I'm sorry," she said. "I guess I had something else on my mind when I was taking it."  
  
"Are you all right, Elphaba?" he asked. He sat on the bench across from her.   
  
"Yes, it's just--" she blushed. She knew she became a richer green when the blood warmed her face. She wondered how goats blushed--if their faces changed, or if it was just in the eyes--or maybe the tail--Dillamond was still waiting for an answer. She cleared her throat. "It's just, these friends. Everything's tangled and I--"  
  
Dillamond was smiling.   
  
"What?" she asked.  
  
"You have friends. I'm very pleased. Not the ones I would have chosen for you--You've had a good effect on Fiyero, but Galinda is going to cause a coup one day just by combing her hair. No, not the ones I would have chosen. But probably better for you. Yes."   
  
Elphaba's eyes widened.  
  
"Elphaba," Dillamond said, putting his hoof on her arm. "I am not your only teacher here at Shiz. You must give equal time to them all."  
  
"But if my grades are slipping--"  
  
"Missing one question is not going to ruin you. It won't even take you out of the valedictorian race. It just makes you human--normal."  
  
She smiled, but later all she remembered of that conversation is that her teacher had called her out for thinking too much about sex.   
  
And she did, all the time. The nights had become too tortured for she and Galinda both. They slept on the same bed, facing away from each other. Sometimes their backs would press against each other. The heat generated would quake them both. Galinda would whimper, and sometimes Elphaba would roll over and hold her, and sometimes Elphaba would bury her face in the pillow and scream. The screaming would make Galinda laugh, so she would roll over and hold Elphaba, and they would lie together, tense and sleepless.   
  
Galinda taught her about makeup and proper nutrition--how to hide sleepless nights, how to fake enthusiasm. Elphaba did what she was told, finding it ridiculous that people could be so easily swayed, but they were.  
  
So with the nights a terror, it came to happen in the afternoon, when they had no expectation of it. Galinda was coming to change clothes between classes--Shenshen had spilled milk on her at lunch--and Elphaba was searching in vain for a notebook she needed. She was halfway under Galinda's bed when Galinda slammed the door.  
  
"Elphaba!"  
  
"What?" Elphaba asked, and then cursed as she hit her head. She slithered out into the open again, and Galinda laughed at the dust.  
  
"I need to change," Galinda said.  
  
"What? Your manners?"  
  
Galinda stuck out her tongue. She said, "My clothes. There's been an unfortunate incident in the dining hall."  
  
Elphaba smirked.  
  
Galinda brushed past her and went to her wardrobe. She selected a uniform, the same as all the others, but recently pressed. She unbuttoned her blouse and then looked over her shoulder at Elphaba, and asked, "Are you going to watch?"  
  
"I am waiting for my head to stop throbbing," Elphaba said.  
  
Galinda, her blouse unbuttoned, came to Elphaba and touched the side of her face. "Does it hurt here?" she asked.  
  
"Not there, particularly."  
  
"Where?" Galinda slid her hand to the back of Elphaba's head.  
  
"Ow."  
  
"Sorry." Galinda said. She cupped the back of Elphaba's neck instead, and massaged. "Does that help?"  
  
"Help what?"  
  
"Your headache."  
  
"What headache?"  
  
Elphaba's breath was shallow, as if she were in pain, and her skin was flushed and her lips parted. Galinda considered these symptoms, and buried her fingers in the hair at the nape of Elphaba's neck, and asked, "It doesn't hurt?"  
  
Elphaba shook her head.  
  
"Okay," Galinda said. but she made no move, so Elphaba put her arms around Galinda's waist, under the blouse, and drew her closer.  
  
"You have cured me," Elphaba said.  
  
Galinda put her cheek against Elphaba's shoulder and said, "Had I known it were that simple, I would have attacked the issue of the green weeks ago."  
  
Elphaba laughed. Galinda wanted to, but she was too aware of her body pressed against Elphaba's, of the throbbing that started within her whenever she was this close, of how gently Elphaba's fingers pressed into her back. She could count each finger impression, and oh, how she loved to be touched by Elphaba. She lifted her chin from Elphaba's shoulder and closed her eyes, and Elphaba's lips were there, warm and pressing.   
  
Galinda found her back against the door. Elphaba had her pinned, sturdily enough, but Galinda had no more ability to stand, the kisses had made her weak. Elphaba's thigh between her legs stopped her from falling, and made her want to fall, but she slipped down and lost the kiss. After that she took Elphaba's shirt collar in her fists and held herself up. She held on even when Elphaba's tongue found hers, and they dueled and kissed until they were panting, and then they kissed again until they were mewling and gasping, and trying to swallow each other's sounds, because surely anyone passing by could hear through the door.   
  
Elphaba kissed her cheek, and then, wonder of wonders, her ear, and Galinda nearly kicked her. She had never known that the application of tongue to ear would send such a shock through her, that it would feel more paralyzingly good than the kissing. She begged for mercy. "Kiss me," she pleaded. Elphaba kissed her lips, and Galinda parted them, for a kiss without Elphaba's tongue was not a kiss at all, and Galinda thought this would be so much easier on the bed.  
  
That flash of thought was terrifying, and Galinda turned her head to break the kiss; to consider, to think. Her action was a tactical mistake, though, for Elphaba's lips fell on her ear again, and one of Galinda's hands lost its grip on Elphaba's collar, and landed on Elphaba's breast. She pushed against the fabric of Elphaba's jacket. If Elphaba was going to kill her, Elphaba was going to die with her.  
  
But it was another miscalculation; Elphaba was protected by layers of clothing, so while she groaned and bit into Galinda's earlobe, she remained standing. Galinda lost her breath utterly. She opened her mouth and tried to inhale, but was too struck by desire to move.  
  
Elphaba, ever practical, noticed her panicked, blueish state and gave her a thump in the chest. Galinda coughed, and clutched to Elphaba's shoulders. Elphaba cradled her, and just when Galinda had taken in enough air to make her blood rush and crimson her skin, Elphaba slid one hand between them and cupped Galinda's bare breast.  
  
"Elphie," Galinda hissed.  
  
"I wanted to see," Elphaba said, apologetically, but not moving her hand away. She squeezed gently, and was rewarded by Galinda pressing kisses all over her neck and her jaw. Emboldened, Elphaba stroked her thumb over Galinda's nipple. Galinda pulled at the skin of her throat.   
  
A knock came at the door.  
  
"Really?" Galinda asked. With Elphaba's hand on her naked flesh and her own saliva on Elphaba's chin, could there really be something so mundane as the outside world?  
  
"Galinda, you said you'd walk with us to class. We're going to be late. Are you in there?" Shenshen called.  
  
Elphaba had that amused smirk on her face already, and was stepping back, leaving Galinda bare and cold, and picking up the blouse from the bed.   
  
"Must I?" Galinda asked, even as she shed the ruined blouse and offered her hands to Elphaba.  
  
"Unless you want to create a scandal."  
  
"More than anything in Oz," Galinda said. But she dressed, and Elphaba kissed her. Galinda smiled against her lips, and whispered, "Your notebook is under my pillow."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I was in a hurry to clean before inspection, so there it went."  
  
Elphaba raised her eyebrows.  
  
"We failed anyway, there was makeup out on the table."  
  
"Of course."  
  
Galinda gave her a little smile, and then went through the door, to be Galinda again.   
  
The breakthrough lasted them through three days. At night they would cuddle in bed, half-undressed, stroking and kissing with the intensity of practice. During the day they would agree to meet, usually in the room, sometimes in the park, once in the ladies powder room at the dining hall, for a minute at a time, to kiss and to tease. Galinda would flap her skirt at Elphaba. Elphaba learned to grab Galinda's ass at inopportune times, which Galinda secretly loved, despite all the times she'd squeal and then have to claim she'd seen a bug in mixed company.  
  
Elphaba did not like being referred to as a bug, so Galinda would make it up to her with sweet kisses which Elphaba would sighingly allow against her lips. Galinda became both coy and reckless. She was having the most fun of her life. But sexual frustration was starting to make even their pleasure painful. She'd kissed Elphaba's shoulder once, and then had been unsure whether it was appropriate or indecent to continue, and Elphaba's expression had been rather unreadable.   
  
She'd woken up in the middle of the night and Elphaba's hand, usually pressed against her belly in sleep, had slipped lower. Galinda tingled. She covered Elphaba's hand with her own. If only Elphaba would curl her fingers, just a little bit. If only--  
  
In the morning, Galinda left before Elphaba woke up, and raced to the dining hall. She hoped to find Fiyero. Another lesson was in order.  
  
* * *   
  
Fiyero was the first to class, a full ten minutes early, and even Dillamond came a minute behind him, startled to see him there.  
  
"Prince Fiyero, if you've come to argue about your grade, I told you--"  
  
"No, no, Doctor. I got the grade I deserved. I was just--Well, here I am."  
  
"You are waiting for our other perennially early student," Dillamond said.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Miss Elphaba."  
  
"Oh. She's usually here by now, isn't she?"  
  
"Often. Fiyero, if I may."  
  
Fiyero shrugged.  
  
Dillamond settled onto the bench, and said, "I see the way you look at her. And I feel Elphaba would benefit from having a nice man look at her that way. Why don't you tell her? Instead of--"  
  
"Pining?"  
  
"An appropriate word," Dillamond said.  
  
"I'm seeing Galinda."  
  
"Forgive me, Fiyero, but your feelings for Galinda seem to pale in comparison."  
  
"I know, but--Doctor Dillamond, I'm a prince. I have virtue to uphold. Wars have been started because men couldn't keep it in their pants."  
  
"And you've never had trouble upholding this virtue before. At least when it comes to women."  
  
Fiyero smiled and said, "No. But no one's like Elphaba."  
  
"Indeed."  
  
"Fiyero, wars have been started just as many times by virtuous men. You have to follow your heart, instead of trying to follow someone else's. Even if it--" Dillamond's tongue snaked out as he searched for the right word.  
  
"Sucks?" Fiyero offered.  
  
Dillamond smiled and said, "Even if it's painful."  
  
"How will I know what the right thing is? Because it hurts the most?"  
  
"Because you'll be listening to the voice inside, not the voices outside."  
  
Voices came from the hallway. Elphaba and Galinda, arm in arm, came through the door, laughing and smiling. Elphaba brightened when she saw Dillamond, and Galinda when she saw Fiyero, and both men stood to offer welcome.   
  
In class, Galinda nearly got in trouble for passing a note.   
  
Fiyero read it, guiltily glancing at Dillamond.  
  
"Need another lesson. Tonight?"  
  
* * *   
  
Fiyero settled his mouth over Galinda's breast. He had stopped expecting protest, but there was not even a sound as he took the whole peak into his open mouth, and sucked, drawing his tongue along the nipple. That bud, which had firmed and ripened in his fingers, was now slack. He tongued, he lapped, he bit.   
  
"Too hard," Galinda said.  
  
At least that was something.  
  
"Galinda, is something on your mind?"  
  
"What? No. Yes. No." Galinda sighed. She patted his head, and bade him back to her breast. He thought of other flowery terms, to quell his own rising desire and convince himself that the whole thing wasn't just sordid. He'd seen prostitutes more enthused about his mouth. Her bosoms, doth they did shake--  
  
"Fiyero."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Is there more?"  
  
"Than this?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Oh, yes," he said.  
  
"Well," she said.  
  
"All right." He sat up, and pulled her up to sit beside him, and took her hand. "Galinda, it seems like I'm the one doing things to you."  
  
"Well. Yes," she said.  
  
"And not vice versa."  
  
"Oh."  
  
He took her hand, and said, "So."  
  
"Okay."  
  
He drew her hand to his chest, and when she did not protest--he'd think she was the easiest girl on campus if she hadn't kicked his classmate in the balls for teasing her a few weeks ago--he pushed it lower, and then lower still, until it was resting on the lump that had been driving him mad several times a day since he'd come of age. He pressed, and she said, "Oh," again, and with a quizzical look on her face squeezed.  
  
He groaned, and let go of her hand, to hold himself sitting in the grass.   
  
"And this--" Galinda started to ask, rubbing her hand up in down. She didn't look terribly impressed, but her hand was doing the most exquisite things to him and he felt encouraged.   
  
"Yes," he said.  
  
"And then?"  
  
He pushed her back into the grass, and fell over her. He planned to kiss her but her jaw was tight with concentration, so he brushed a lock of hair off her forehead, and then, trembling, slid his hand down over her body, and then under her skirt.  
  
She sighed when he touched the edge of her panties. He caressed her. She was wet, desirous of him. He exhaled with a surprised relief, and abandoned her to work open his pants and--  
  
"Fiyero!?"  
  
Fiyero looked over his shoulder, and there Elphaba stood, dusky in the twilight, with a look of shock on her face.  
  
"I can explain--" he said, just as Galinda said the same words to the same woman.  
  
He looked at Galinda.  
  
Galinda's eyes were wide with terror. He looked back at Elphaba. She fled.   
  
"Wait!" he called.  
  
"Wait?" Galinda asked. She yanked on Fiyero's arm. "What do you mean, wait?"  
  
"Galinda, I--" He faltered, hitching up his pants, standing up, blushing at her nudity. He said it in a rush. "Galinda, I think I'm in love with your roommate."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I have to go find her."  
  
"Are you breaking up with me?"   
  
"Yes," he called, dashing off, down the path to follow Elphaba.   
  
"Come back here!"  
  
* * *   
  
Fiyero found Elphaba in the grove of apple trees, crying.  
  
"Elphaba," he said.  
  
"Fiyero? What are you doing here?"  
  
"I came to--to see if you'd like to have dinner with me. In town."  
  
She stared at him, wiping at her eyes.  
  
"I'd like to date you, Elphaba," he said. His mouth hurt from the words--he'd never said them before. He'd never had to. He had no idea how to go about it. He needed lessons, he decided bitterly.  
  
"No," Elphaba said. "Thank you, but."  
  
"Why not?" He stepped forward, and took her in his arms. She didn't resist, but froze up. He tried to soothe her, stroking her back. Her hair smelled as rich as the apple blossoms that hung heavy around them. Her neck--was that a hickey? He frowned.  
  
"Fiyero. You're a prince. I'm--"  
  
"The governor's daughter. I'm sure our parents would approve."  
  
"Oh, God," she said.  
  
"Elphaba."  
  
She pressed her face into his chest and said, "I could never do that to Galinda."  
  
"Galinda won't mind."  
  
"The whole school--"  
  
"Now you're just making excuses." He took her face in his hands and drew her chin up, and kissed her. She sighed against the kiss. He drew back and said, "You're perfect."  
  
"I'm not in love with you," she said.  
  
His whole body went cold, and he waited for the ground to take him into the grave, so deep was the rejection. He blinked at the salt in his eyes, and said, "You could be."  
  
"Maybe. But not--now."  
  
"Elphaba."  
  
She looked down and said, "You'd better go."  
  
"Where?"  
  
She laughed, her shoulders shaking, and said, "Do what I do when life becomes too much. Study."  
  
So he went to the library. He passed Galinda on the way, red-faced and crying and balling her fists over and over. "Where is she?" Galinda asked, when he tried to skirt her on the path.  
  
"Apple grove."  
  
"I am going to yell at you so much," she said, without looking at him. "You're in so much trouble, Fiyero." Her voice faded into wordless curses. He broke into a jog away from her as soon as there was enough distance between him that it wouldn't look cowardly.   
  
Alone, with night having fallen, Galinda muttered, "Oh, Galinda, you're so clever, you bring people together." She had no idea what she was going to say to Elphaba, she felt like she had sinned, and had gotten caught, and she had nothing to offer Elphaba but shame.   
  
But it was Elphaba who spoke first, stepping out from the trees, lifting her hand to stop Galinda on the path. "I love you," Elphaba said.  
  
"Why would you say that? Now?" Galinda brushed at her eyes and tried to see Elphaba's face through the blur of fresh tears.   
  
Elphaba laughed. "What could you possibly do to me? How could I possibly become more reviled? More of an outcast in the eyes of my own father? Try your best, Galinda. Tell everyone in school. Ridicule Fiyero. I just saw--I've lost--It can't get any worse."  
  
"You haven't lost anything." Galinda rushed forward and took Elphaba's hands in hers. "I can explain. Really."  
  
"I don't need you to explain."  
  
"I love you, too, and I needed to know. How to please you." Galinda blushed furiously, and concentrated on Elphaba's hands in hers, not letting go.  
  
"Galinda. Why didn't you just read a book? Or ask someone?"  
  
"I've always been an experiential learner," Galinda said.  
  
Elphaba said, "Really?"  
  
"Well, that's what my tutor told my father, and--"  
  
"No, I mean. That's what you were doing with Fiyero?"  
  
"He seemed good enough. And I trusted him."  
  
"He didn't--hurt you?"  
  
"He never even tried," Galinda said, and scoffed. And then added, "I think he wanted to try. But he's just--Well, he's very kind."  
  
"He is."  
  
"I guess I've hurt him terribly, but he's the one who broke up with me." Galinda let go of Elphaba's hands and stepped back. She said, "He broke up with me to be with you."  
  
"He is not 'with me,'" Elphaba said.  
  
"But--"  
  
"Galinda." Elphaba stepped forward, and pulled Galinda into a hug. She said against Galinda's hair, "He is not with me. I care too much about someone else."  
  
"Me," Galinda said.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Does he know that?"  
  
"He has no idea," Elphaba said.  
  
"Boys."  
  
They walked hand in hand back to the dorms, were chastised for being out past curfew, and retired innocently to their room, where Galinda changed into a shift and Elphaba into a robe while patiently explaining the value of reading when experience faltered.   
  
Galinda asked, "You knew all along? Why didn't you--"  
  
"I wasn't sure how far you wanted to go," Elphaba.  
  
"You weren't sure? You couldn't  _tell_?"  
  
"Well, you have a reputation--"  
  
"As being a tease?" Galinda smacked her arm.  
  
"As being a lady," Elphaba said.  
  
"Oh."  
  
Elphaba smirked.  
  
"Well, so do you," Galinda said.  
  
"And ladies don't, well," Elphaba started.  
  
"Oh yes, they do. All the time. It's perfectly normal. For all that your little sister thinks is Holy, Elphaba, if you know, then show me."  
  
Elphaba put her hands on Galinda's shoulders. She leaned in to kiss her, and then hesitated, and said, "I haven't done this, just read, and--"  
  
She was stopped by Galinda's hand over her mouth. Galinda glowered, staring straight into her eyes, and asked, "Elphie? Do you know the difference between telling and showing?" She replaced her hand with her mouth, kissing Elphaba. Elphaba kissed her back, firmly but without getting too passionate, and Galinda stepped back, satisfied.  
  
"Okay, so, what do we do?" Galinda asked.  
  
Elphaba said nothing, just looked steadily at her.  
  
"Elphie," Galinda said. "You're the smart one. I'm--"  
  
Elphaba tilted her head. A smile played on her lips.  
  
"The tease," Galinda finished, with a sigh. Fiyero had done all the work, really, she had just lain there, and Elphaba seemed to be asking for more than just a bit of technique. She couldn't--but she wanted to. Oh, how she wanted to. She stepped to Elphaba, and put her hand on Elphaba's shoulder, tentatively, and pushed.  
  
Elphaba covered Galinda's hand and said, "I think you should undress."  
  
"Oh. Yes. That would be a good start, wouldn't it?" Galinda withdrew from Elphaba's touch and stood before her. She'd undressed in front of Elphaba, but never had Elphaba watched so keenly. Maybe Elphaba had watched in secret before--the thought made her blood hot. She pulled down a strap of her shift and Elphaba twitched. Galinda held up her shift with one hand and used the other to remove the second strap. Elphaba swallowed.  
  
"I see," Galinda said, holding her shift up only with her hands over her breasts.  
  
Elphaba shook herself out of her daze and asked, "What?"  
  
"I have always known I was desirable," Galinda said.  
  
Elphaba rolled her eyes.  
  
"But I see it's about giving, not getting," Galinda said. She dropped her hands, and the shift slipped off her body, and she was naked in front of Elphaba and Elphaba didn't seem to mind, didn't seem inclined to maul her at that particular moment, and she was glad that she could still talk to Elphaba about things she could never express to anyone else.  
  
"You are desirable," Elphaba said in a low voice. Each word sent heat rushing through Galinda. She wanted to cover herself, to protect her nipples from the air in the room, to relieve their need to be touched. But she merely furrowed her brow, because Elphaba was still looking thoughtful. Elphaba said, "You're beautiful."  
  
"Well," Galinda said. "Aren't you going to ravish me?"  
  
"Aren't you?" Elphaba asked.  
  
Galinda frowned, stepped forward, straddling Elphaba's lap with one knee, leaving her half-standing on the floor. She kissed Elphaba--she knew how to kiss Elphaba, how to tease Elphaba's lips into parting, how to suck gently on the spot that would make Elphaba growl. Elphaba grabbed her, pressing one hand against her back to hold her close, and suck on Galinda's tongue--what Galinda wanted, to be consumed by Elphaba, to feel nothing but heat and possession. Elphaba slid her free hand over Galinda's ass, to steady her awkward position, and Galinda kissed her until the cramp started in her shoulder. She pulled back, panting.  
  
Elphaba was similarly breathless. Galinda wiped at the wetness on Elphaba's cheek, and then carefully dipped her head to place a kiss on the side of Elphaba's neck. Elphaba's resonating was more than she had hoped for. She tried a kiss on Elphaba's shoulder. Elphaba's fingers dug into her back.  
  
Galinda twisted away, and settled onto Elphaba's bed, flat on her back, one leg bent at the knee. She glanced at the ceiling, and then at Elphaba, though the angle was difficult.   
  
Elphaba put her hand on Galinda's knee, and Galinda felt like she was dissolving into the bed. She wet her lips, which made Elphaba press harder, and then said, "Your turn."  
  
"My turn to what?"  
  
"Undress, practical Elphie."  
  
Elphaba turned greener. She turned away. Her back came into view as the robe fell, pooling around her hips. Galinda wanted to stroke across the dusky skin, to feel Elphaba's spine against her palm. She was aware that she was in the same position she'd been in earlier, on her back, unmoving, but this time not passive. Her fingertips tingled with the desire to touch Elphaba, heat pooled between her legs, and she was lying in wait. Oh, the things she was going to do to Elphaba.  
  
"Oh, the things I'm going to do to you," Galinda said.  
  
Elphaba stood, to let the robe slide off completely, and the knelt on the edge of the bed, that same quizzical look on her face that used to annoy Galinda, but now was flattering, warming even, because Elphaba was actually interested in whatever she had to say when no one else had ever been. She faltered, under that expectation, when Elphaba asked, "What things?'  
  
"You're the one who did the reading," Galinda said, blushing.  
  
Elphaba crawled over Galinda, until she was above her with one knee between her parted thighs, peering down at Galinda like  _she_  was a book. Galinda reached up, and smoothed hair out of Elphaba's face that was being pulled down by gravity. Elphaba closed her eyes. Galinda, emboldened, brushed her thumb over Elphaba's lip. Elphaba kissed it. Galinda shuddered. Elphaba tilted her head away from Galinda's fingers, and moved down to kiss the curve of Galinda's shoulder.  
  
Galinda gasped, and squeezed her eyes shut tightly.  
  
"What?" Elphaba asked, right next to her ear, which sent Galinda into further convulsions.  
  
Galinda gripped Elphaba's shoulders, to keep her still and said, "I think this is going to kill me."  
  
"In the book I was reading," Elphaba said, continuing to kiss her mercilessly where she could reach under Galinda's grip, mostly her ear, "they call it the 'little death.'"  
  
"Oh, really?"  
  
"I thought it was just flowery language," Elphaba said. Each word gusted hot breath across Galinda's ear, and she would have begged Elphaba to stop but it might mean Elphaba would kill her in other ways.  
  
Galinda said, "No. It seems apt."  
  
"Galinda," Elphaba said, sliding her hand between them to cup Galinda's breast.  
  
"Hm?"  
  
"Let me go."  
  
"Oh," Galinda said. She went back to worrying Elphaba's hair, while shifting under Elphaba's hand, which squeezed and teased her nipple into a perfect, aching point. Galinda bit into her lip and met Elphaba's eyes.   
  
Elphaba smiled. She said, "Most of the books weren't very helpful. It seems like in Ozma tales, the characters in the throes of passion are consumed by fire and reborn."  
  
Galinda's eyes widened.  
  
"And in the tales my sister likes, either there's no description at all, or there's--far too much." Elphaba cringed. Galinda decided not to ask.  
  
"But I was able to glean--" Elphaba said, and then covered Galinda's breast with her mouth.  
  
Galinda shrieked, and then pressed her hands to her lips, and shrieked again, the sound muffled, as Elphaba's tongue raked across her nipple. Then warm pressure came as Elphaba sucked. and Galinda arched her back, offering more of herself.  
  
"Yes?" Elphaba asked.  
  
"More," Galinda said.  
  
Elphaba switched breasts, and the air rushing across Galinda's nipple nearly made her shriek again. She grabbed Elphaba's hand and pressed it to her breast, and while Elphaba's lips tugged her nipple into a firm point, Galinda had the slow, intoxicating revelation that she was not going to die.  
  
Elphaba abandoned her breast, and covered the second one with her hand before Galinda could complain. She arched down and kissed Galinda's stomach. "You have a perfect stomach," Elphaba murmured. Galinda giggled. Elphaba's lips moved lower, circling her belly button, and then lower. She was approaching what had never been touched, where all of her desire was concentrated, and Galinda made the connection between all her confusion and lack of exploration.   
  
"Oh," Galinda breathed.  
  
Elphaba nuzzled into her hip.  
  
"Oh, wait," Galinda said.  
  
Elphaba lifted her head.  
  
Galinda squirmed out from underneath her and sat up. She said, "This was my idea."  
  
"What was?"  
  
Galinda gestured. "This. You."  
  
"Your idea," Elphaba said.  
  
"Oh, don't be smart."  
  
"What would you like me to be?" Elphaba asked.  
  
"Prone."  
  
Elphaba fell to her side, her head settling onto the pillow, near Galinda's waist. Most of her was curled into the bed beneath her. Galinda prodded her shoulder. She took up the position Elphaba had vacated, kneeling, to look at as much of Elphaba's body as she could.  
  
"Come on," Galinda said when Elphaba was resistant to sprawling on her back. "I did."  
  
"You're not--"  
  
"Elphie. I already know you're green."  
  
Elphaba, prone to dramatic gestures more than an effective argument--though no one ought to tell her that, Galinda knew--closed her eyes and rolled onto her back, her arms and legs spread. Galinda stroked her, starting at her shoulders and rubbing downward, over her breasts, her stomach, her hips, her thighs. She squeezed Elphaba's calfs and started up again.   
  
"You're--" Galinda searched for the right words. Beautiful was too trite to convince someone like Elphaba, exquisite would be too difficult to explain. She cleared her throat and said, "You're what a girl should look like."  
  
Elphaba opened her eyes to scowl at Galinda.  
  
"I should know," Galinda said. She continued to run her hands up and down Elphaba's body; sometimes her fingertips, sometimes the flat of her hand. Elphaba's stomach quivered. She was less patient than Fiyero, and had far less self-control, and that thrilled Galinda. She taunted Elphaba. "I've looked at other girls. I didn't know I was, but I was--finding their imperfections. The flaw, the crack, that would convince me I wasn't really staring at all."  
  
"And you've failed to find such a flaw now," Elphaba said.  
  
"Well. Not physically," Galinda said.  
  
Elphaba kicked her, and then laughed, and Galinda bent to kiss her. They kissed as Galinda's body sank down onto Elphaba's. Touching skin to skin was far preferable to clothes between them, and Galinda was blissfully high, running her hands down Elphaba's sides, then up to cup her face. Elphaba did the same, touching her back and her ass, and her thighs.   
  
Galinda broke the kiss, and pushing her hips down into Elphaba's, which drew a delightful squeak from Elphaba, asked, "We can do this again, right?"  
  
"I--suppose," Elphaba said.  
  
Galinda pushed her way down Elphaba's body, kissing each part of skin briefly, but not exploring. There would be time later, she decided, for little things, but the big thing was still there to be conquered, and she wasn't going to lose her courage, and she wasn't going to fall asleep.   
  
"Galinda," Elphaba called, but Galinda didn't look up. She parted Elphaba's legs, and wondered why she had never looked before, wished she had, past the curls and the shadows. The scent that had tantalized her for weeks became heady, and she nosed to the source, feeling reckless in this secret. She kissed. Elphaba let out a hoarse, strangled sound. Galinda used her whole mouth, used her tongue, wondered if she should use her fingers, too, but Elphaba's hand touched her head, and then pressed, and Elphaba said, "There.  _There_."   
  
She concentrated there, with the force of her lips and her neck and her shoulders, and Elphaba pulling her hair, and Elphaba's quivering became shuddering and then stopped entirely. The roar in Galinda's ears was her own blood. She licked, tentatively. Elphaba jerked. She slid her hand through Galinda's hair, and then retreated.  
  
Galinda lifted her head. She asked, "Little death?"  
  
"I'm not sure I'm even still alive," Elphaba said.  
  
Galinda stretched, and then crawled up to settle at Elphaba's side. "What did it feel like?" she asked.  
  
"I can show you," Elphaba said. She rolled over, facing Galinda, and kissed her. Galinda giggled as Elphaba licked her lips and her sticky cheeks, and then stopped giggling when Elphaba threaded her fingers into Galinda's hair, and then rolled on top of her.  
  
"Elphie," Galinda said, between kisses. Elphaba's thigh was between her legs and Galinda, now that she knew how it all worked between women, couldn't help herself. She arched her hips, pressing herself against Elphaba's leg, and when Elphaba licked her ear, Galinda resorted to pleading. "Elphie, we can do all of this later."  
  
"What are we going to do instead?" Elphaba asked.  
  
Galinda took Elphaba's hand and drew it between her legs, pressing Elphaba's fingers against herself. The initial contact was enough to make her want to scream. She bit her lip, hard, until she could talk, and said, "Please."  
  
Elphaba touched Galinda, splaying her fingers, probing with each one in turn, through wetness and flesh and curls. "You're so soft," Elphaba said.   
  
"Find the place where I'm hard," Galinda said, and Elphaba did, flicking her finger across the part of Galinda that Galinda imagined to be the most swollen. She rubbed herself against Elphaba's hand, and Elphaba rubbed in return, and Galinda kissed Elphaba, found she couldn't breathe, and settled for looking at Elphaba's face. Elphaba smiled at her, and touched her as gently and as roughly as she had ever been touched, and the crescendo that had been building for months hit its loudest note. Galinda gasped, unable to scream or keep silent, and her toes curl, and she shuddered violently.   
  
"That looked like it hurt," Elphaba said, drawing Galinda into her arms.  
  
Galinda smiled blissfully. She asked, "Did it hurt you?"  
  
"No."  
  
"I'm strong enough, too," Galinda said.  
  
"Undoubtedly."  
  
Galinda kissed Elphaba, and then kissed her chin, and then closed her eyes.  
  
"What about the rest?" Elphaba asked.  
  
"Of this?"  
  
"Of--everything."  
  
Galinda thought of poor Fiyero, and her friends, and her classes. She said, "I'm failing mathematics."  
  
"I know," Elphaba said.  
  
"And my mother wants me to come back to Gillikin for the summer. Can you imagine?" Galinda asked hazily.  
  
"Mm."  
  
"Life continues," Galinda said. It felt profound.  
  
"I wonder," Elphaba said, "If there is any room left for improvement."  
  
"Nope," Galinda murmured.  
  
"That's what I would have said a year ago."  
  
Galinda snuggled into the pillow, and closer to Elphaba, and whispered into her hair, "Me too."  
  
END


End file.
